ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Mike Moriarty has big expectations for the new year. "My goal is to fit into these pants better," he said, patting his stomach.

Mike Moriarty said he usually breaks his new year's resolutions in about three hours.

Moriarty, 47, an attorney from Holyoke, Massachusetts, doesn't want to call his weight-loss plan a resolution.

"They are very hard to stick with," Moriarty lamented. "I make them all the time and break them in about three hours."

Moriarty isn't the only one who has a tough time sticking with a resolution.

Clinical psychologist Mark Crawford from Atlanta, Georgia, said almost everyone has something he or she would like to change or improve, but succeeding is another story.

"The first of the year gives everyone a fresh start or a clean slate," Crawford said. "That's what everyone feels good about: 'I can just start new with no failure and go from here.' "

Some of the most popular new year's resolutions, according to Crawford, include improving health and fitness by exercising more and eating less, getting financial affairs in order by paying down debt or saving money, getting organized, spending more time with family members and quitting a bad habit such as smoking.

"For example, saying that you want to lose weight is way too general. You should say, 'I want to lose 10 pounds this year,' " Crawford said.

Second: Set a realistic goal. "Very few people are going to lose 50 pounds in a year," he said. "But losing 5 to 10 pounds is a goal everyone can reach."

Third: Establish a set of steps to help you reach your goal. "You want to add things like, 'I'm going to exercise three times a week and I'm going to eat smaller portions.' Those are the steps that are going to get you to the goal."

Finally, Crawford recommended setting a specific time frame. "Very few people can stay with a goal for an entire year," he said.

"I would say set a goal for about two weeks. Stop to see how you're doing. Pat yourself on the back if you're doing well," he said. "And if you're not, figure out why so that you can revise your plan."